A History of Pythagoreanism

A comprehensive, authoritative, innovative and accessible account of Pythagoreanism, one of the most enigmatic and influential philosophies in the West.

Carl A. Huffman (Edited by)

9781316648476, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 16 March 2017

532 pages, 1 b/w illus.
23 x 15.2 x 3 cm, 0.76 kg

'… The book is remarkably comprehensive in its scope, and each chapter serves as a summary of primary texts and secondary scholarship on each respective subject. As a result, the volume is an excellent resource for specialists and novices alike. Anyone interested in the history of philosophy, of mathematics, of music and harmonics, or of the Pythagorean tradition as a whole should utilize this volume.' Justin M. Rogers, Bryn Mawr Classical Review

This is a comprehensive, authoritative and innovative account of Pythagoras and Pythagoreanism, one of the most enigmatic and influential philosophies in the West. In twenty-one chapters covering a timespan from the sixth century BC to the seventeenth century AD, leading scholars construct a number of different images of Pythagoras and his community, assessing current scholarship and offering new answers to central problems. Chapters are devoted to the early Pythagoreans, and the full breadth of Pythagorean thought is explored including politics, religion, music theory, science, mathematics and magic. Separate chapters consider Pythagoreanism in Plato, Aristotle, the Peripatetics and the later Academic tradition, while others describe Pythagoreanism in the historical tradition, in Rome and in the pseudo-Pythagorean writings. The three great lives of Pythagoras by Diogenes Laertius, Porphyry and Iamblichus are also discussed in detail, as is the significance of Pythagoras for the Middle Ages and Renaissance.

Introduction Carl A. Huffman
1. Pythagoras Geoffrey Lloyd
2. Philolaus Daniel W. Graham
3. Archytas Malcolm Schofield
4. Sixth-, fifth- and fourth-century Pythagoreans Leonid Zhmud
5. The Pythagorean Society and politics Catherine Rowett
6. The Pythagorean way of life and Pythagorean ethics M. Laura Gemelli Marciano
7. Pythagoreans, Orphism and Greek religion Gábor Betegh
8. The problem of Pythagorean mathematics Reviel Netz
9. Pythagorean harmonics Andrew Barker
10. The Pythagoreans and Plato John Palmer
11. Aristotle on the 'so-called Pythagoreans': from lore to principles Oliver Primavesi
12. Pythagoreanism in the academic tradition: the early Academy to Numenius John Dillon
13. The Peripatetics on the Pythagoreans Carl A. Huffman
14. Pythagoras in the historical tradition: from Herodotus to Diodorus Siculus Stefan Schorn
15. The pseudo-Pythagorean writings Bruno Centrone
16. From Nigidius Figulus to Alexander of Abonouteichos: Pythagoreans in Rome and Asia Minor around the turn of the Common Era Jaap-Jan Flinterman
17. Diogenes Laertius' Life of Pythagoras André Laks
18. Porphyry's Life of Pythagoras Constantinos Macris
19. Iamblichus' On the Pythagorean Life in context Dominic J. O'Meara
20. Pythagoras and Pythagoreanism in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages Andrew Hicks
21. Pythagoras in the early Renaissance Michael J. B. Allen.

Subject Areas: History of science [PDX], History of ideas [JFCX], Western philosophy: Ancient, to c 500 [HPCA], History of Western philosophy [HPC]